A number of efforts are done to control the weed, such as manual pull out. However, that takes longer and is less efficient. Concerned about the problem, Tafriyana, Syifauqulub A.N, dan M. Farhan A.—who are all final year students from Electrical Engineering of School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics—develop an automatic weed control robot that can be operated remotely through wi-fi.

The robot, named Robograss, use laser as weed exterminator. The movement is controlled using remote laptop controller. User can choose which weed to exterminate on the display sent by Robograss to laptop monitor.

To support its operation, Robograss uses 10,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery that can supply energy for 3 hours long of use and 6 hours long of standby mode. In addition, Robograss do weed extermination without damaging the grass thanks to its remote controlling within 10-15 meters. “In the future, Robograss is expected to be controlled within more than 100 meters,” said M. Farhan A on Wednesday (7/8/2019).

Robograss works in three easy steps: turn it on, direct, and eradicate. It is one of the works displayed in Electrical Engineering Days 2019 held on 5-7 August 2019 at Aula Timur ITB. This event – held by Electrical Engineering of STEI-ITB and HME-ITB – consisted of exhibition of final assignments, seminar and talk show on 5G technology, and IoT workshop. Other inventions by electrical engineering students displayed in the exhibition are expected to become solutions to problems in the future.

“Test was done on Saraga’s football field and the effectiveness depends on the user that control the robot. The next development will focus on the distance between the robot and the user as well as better control system” Farhan added.

With Robograss, hopefully football fields in Indonesia will have better quality with this automatic clean up using robot controller.

Reporter: Deo Fernando (Entrepreneurship 2018)